Griefzu, Paul

Paul Greifzu...

Now that one has stumped me; care to enlighten us?

I had not heard of him until today. This is what Google came up with.

East German racer Paul Greifzu built a BMW Special for the East German Formula 2 Championship in the post-war era. He became the most successful driver in the series and competed in a variety of races in the west. In May 1952 he was killed in a practice accident for an event which was being held on the autobahn at Dessau. After his death his widow Dora entered one of the cars in the 1953 German Grand Prix for Rudolf Krause.

He also appears to have a Sports Stadium named after him - or is that just a coincidence

Greifzu by reputation was the best of the East German post-war drivers. Of course not only were German drivers banned in the west for a long time but in those pre-Berlin Wall days East German drivers were encouraged not to leave the Commie zone, for fear of defections. (Brauchitsch went the other way, following a scandal in the West he legged it to the East...) Greifzu's special was a front-engined BMW thing with a scoop at the front a la Hawthorn's Cooper-Bristol, but far more elegant, circular and to one side.

Greifzu by reputation was the best of the East German post-war drivers. Of course not only were German drivers banned in the west for a long time but in those pre-Berlin Wall days East German drivers were encouraged not to leave the Commie zone, for fear of defections. (Brauchitsch went the other way, following a scandal in the West he legged it to the East...) Greifzu's special was a front-engined BMW thing with a scoop at the front a la Hawthorn's Cooper-Bristol, but far more elegant, circular and to one side.

Anybody got any photos?

A bit more Googling.

Found this.

http://8w.forix.com/df2-ebeg.html

Info on Greifzu. This guy was definately a racer!

Paul Griefzu was certainly the best of the East German drivers who raced mainly only in the Eastern Zone but there were a number of others including; Edgar Barth, Eric (?) Bauer, Artur Rosenhammer, Kurt Straubel, Hans Klenk, Rudi Krause, Ernst Klodwig and Rudolph Ortschitt all who raced in the fifities driving mainly BMW pased specials or works EMW's.